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METRIC MEASUREMENTS & INTERNATIONAL UNITS Metric Measurements and International Units – Why Are They On Supplement Labels? Protein 17g Abbreviations are a common sight on the Supplement Facts label of all nutritional supplements. Ingredients are regularly followed by notations like “mg” ,“mcg”, “g”, and “IU”. But what do these notations actually mean? The abbreviations “mcg”, “mg” and “g” stand for metric measurements of weight. “Mcg” is the smallest of these measurements and means micrograms. “Mg” is the middle of these measurements and means milligrams. “G” is the largest of these measurements and means grams. There are 1,000 micrograms to each milligram, and 1,000 milligrams to each gram. An example of this written out is: “Folic Acid 400mcg.” This is also sometimes written as “Folic Acid 0.4mg.” While the average American is accustomed to measuring things in the kitchen with cups, tablespoons, and teaspoons, these measuring instruments actually refer to the volume of the item being measured. The drawback to this measurement is that the item’s volume can vary depending on how densely packed or coarsely chopped an item is. By contrast, the metric measurements with the word “gram” in their name refer to the weight of the item. Measuring by weight is more accurate because weight is not affected by whether an item has been densely packed versus finely sifted, or coarsely chopped versus finely chopped. Using measurements of weight for the nutrients in a nutritional supplement also means that it is easier to ensure the potency of the supplement. The tricky abbreviation is “IU”, which stands for “International Units,” and is a measurement of the potency of the vitamin. IU applies to fat-soluble vitamins A, D and E, as well as some prescription medications. There's no fixed definition for IU, like there is for milligrams or micrograms. Because the IU measurement is based on the potency of the nutrient, the actual IU will depend upon the specific substance being measured. For example, one IU of vitamin A has a weight of 0.3 micrograms, one IU of natural Vitamin E has a weight just under one milligram. – What does IU mean? Definitions of IU, Mcg, Mg, etc. BIOMETICS’ complete line of advanced liquid nutritional supplements provide vital nutrients in a highly absorbable form. BIO FUEL contains 100% of the US Daily Values of many vitamins and minerals to support overall health. * *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Get the daily nutrients you need through BIOMETICS! SHARE THIS ARTICLE WITH SOMEONE TODAY: |
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